The political dynamics in Nigeria’s National Assembly shifted on Tuesday as three senators from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), further consolidating the party’s majority in the Senate.
The defecting lawmakers — Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) — announced their decision during plenary. Their move followed a high-profile meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
With their defection, the APC now commands 68 seats in the 109-member Senate. The new composition of the chamber stands as follows: APC: 68 seats, PDP: 30 seats, Labour Party (LP): 5 seats, Social Democratic Party (SDP): 2 seats, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP): 1 seat, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA): 1 seat
Top APC figures, including National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, and Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs Yusuf Sununu, were present at the ceremony welcoming the senators into the ruling party.
In a parallel development, the House of Representatives rejected seven constitutional amendment bills during plenary on Tuesday, presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The proposed amendments, bundled into a single motion, aimed to address key structural reforms in governance, judiciary, and electoral administration. They include:
Transferring the registration and regulation of political parties from INEC to a new Registrar of Political Parties
Institutionalizing the rotation of the presidency among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones
Establishing independent Offices of the Auditors-General for local governments and the FCT
Increasing the number of Federal High Court judges to a minimum of 100
Expanding the Federal High Court’s admiralty jurisdiction
Empowering the National Judicial Council (NJC) to determine and adjust judicial remuneration in partnership with the Salaries and Wages Commission
Creating Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State
Despite their wide scope, the bills were rejected in a bloc vote. Attempts to consider them individually were unsuccessful, though further deliberations are expected to resume on Wednesday.
The Senate defections reflect the APC’s growing influence ahead of future electoral contests, as cracks deepen within the opposition PDP. Analysts say the ruling party’s bolstered majority could smoothen the path for executive-led legislation and key national policies.
Conversely, the House’s rejection of reform-oriented constitutional amendments signals ongoing partisan tensions and regional sensitivities within Nigeria’s legislative process. While public demand for structural reforms continues to rise, consensus among lawmakers remains elusive, potentially stalling progress on long-sought governance reforms.
